Sound recorder with sound-controlled stylus feed



Sept. 16, 1952 G. K. GRAHAM 2,611,038

SOUND RECORDER WITH SOUND-CONTROLLED STYLUS FEED 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed April 30, 1946 will;

Sept. 16, 1952 e. K. GRAHAM SOUND RECORDER WITH SOUND-CONTROLLED STYLUS FEED Filed April 30, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 4 a J A. TV mm 330 M INVENTOR. Geo/ye K Gin/2am BY A Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNIIED iHSIATES PATENT OFFICE SOUNDIEECORDER WITH SOUND-CON- .TROLLED STYLUS FEED George li. Graham, Oceanside, N..Y., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a. corporation of Delaware I Application April 3t), 1946, Serial No. 665,924

My invention relates to sound recording and particularly to a system for controlling the feed of a recording head whose stylus is used to cut sound grooves in a phonograph record or equiva lent. I

In avoidance of'cutting .of a groove which crosses over or into a previously cutgroove, or which leaves an inter-groove wall so thin that mistracking is likely to occur after the record-or acopy of it, has-been played a fewtimes, the recording or cutting head is so mounted withrespect to the record that substantially instantanew ously upon, or in anticipation of, high-amplitude of virbation of its stylus, the cutting head ,may be immediately advanced with respect to its-feed by the lead screw normally-eifectingits move: merit. Further in accordance with my inventiorn, the setting of a speed-changing device interposed between the lead screw and its driving Source is automaticallychanged by fixed steps, orprogressively, in response to, or in anticipation of, change in volume level of a program being recorded. Preferably, because of the time lag involved in changingflthe speed of the lead screw, the cutter head, is, as above described, advanced substantially instantaneously relative to the lead screw when highamplitude of vibration of the stylus occurs isis about to occur. H

Further in accordance with my invention, control of substantially immediate advance of the cutting head or change in speed of the lead screw,

or both, is effected by a relay system including a rectifier, such as a biased diode, for example, which derives a control voltage from the amplified output of the microphone, pickup head, or equivalent translating device.

More particularly in accordance with my inven-I tion, when either or both of these controls is 'to be effected in anticipation of high amplitude of stylus movement, the relay rectifier system is energized through a channel which at least in part is independent of the one between the translat-- ing device and the cutting head; when a singletranslating device is used,as in an original re-- 8 Claims. (ci. 179100.4)

' control system and associated parts of a record For a more detailed understanding of my invention and for illustration of several embodiments thereof, reference ismade to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

1 Fig. l diagrammatically illustrates one form of ing mechanism; e

Fig. 2 diagrammaticallyillustrates a modification of the system of Fig-- 1 which provides for smoothly continuous speed control; I Fig.1. 3 diagrammatically illustrates another form of the invention which provides for an anticipatory control action during original recording operation; and 4 5 V v V Fig. ,4-illustrates another modificationof the control system which provides for anticipatory control action in re-recording systems.

Referring to Fig. l, the recording head lllmay be of any conventional type provided, for example, with a cutting stylus l I. vibrated. inaccordance with the output of an amplifier [2 in whose input system is included a microphone I3 or equivalent device which derives from original sound vibrations, or some reproduction thereof, the electrical input of the amplifier, the latter having suitable gain to actuatethe electromagnetic or other driving meansfor the stylus ll.

. The stylus ll cuts a spiral sound track in a record disc l5 mounted upon a, turn-table 16, or equivalent, which is rotated at constant speed-by any uitable means (not shown). The cutting head is fed transversely or radially over the record-by a lead screw 1 I, driven through the speedchanging device l8 from any source of constant speed. In the particular arrangement shown, the input shaft IQ of the speed-change deviceis coupled by pulleys 20, 2|, and belt 22 to the spindle 23 of the record-supporting disc It.

For long playing time of the record, it is desirable that the feed of the screwv ['1 be slow so that the spiral cut by the stylus on the record will have a largenumber of closely spaced grooves. However, for faithful recording of the range of volume of the program, it is desirable to permit large range of amplitude of the stylus H and, in.

consequence, the spacing between adjacent grooves must be sufliciently great to'avoid cutting of oneand unnecessarily curtailed.

To obtain large range in amplitude of reproduction without undue curtailment of the playing;

time, the feed screw of Figure l is arranged to rtate at suitably slow speed so long as the level of signal input to the cutting head I0 is below a magnitude likely to result in mistracking, and to rotate at substantially higher speed (for example, twice the low speed) when the signal level is high enough possibly to cause mistracking. Specifically, the signal level is monitored by a rectifier relay system including a rectifier 36, such as a diode whose direct current output is of magnitude corresponding with the amplitude of the signal input to the cutting head [8. The rectified cur,- rent traverses the coil 35 of a relay 32 whose contacts 33 and 34 are in circuit with a suitable source of current 39 and the coil 40 of an arrangement suited to effect change in the setting of the speed-changing device I8.

In the particular form of speed-changing device I8 shown in Fig. 1, a driving Wheel 51 rotates with the shaft 19 but is free to slide axially thereof toward and away from the axis ofrotation of a driven disc 56 mountedon or connected to the feed screw [1. Specifically, the wheel 51 is attached to a sleeve 4! having a slot 48 therein through or into which projects a pin 49 fastened to and rotating with the shaft l9. Adisc 46, rotating with the sleeve 41, loosely fits into, the recess of the extension 45 of a rack 44 which is mounted for a'sliding movement parallel to the axis of the shaft [9. The rack'44 isconnected through a pinion 43, which is mounted on a stationary axis, to a rack 42 connected to or forming an extension of the core member 4| of the solenoid coil 48. In the particular arrangement shown, the core 4| is biased by gravity or by a spring to the positioncorresponding with the low speed position of the driving Wheel 51. V

When the signal level to the cutting head is above a level safe for low rate of feed of the cutting head, the current passed by the rectifier 36 to the relay coil 35 is sufiicient to efiect closure of the relay contacts 33, 34, whereupon the solenoid 40 is energized to pull down its core 4| and, through the rack and pinion mechanism above described, to raise the sleeve 41 to the high-speed position. So long as the signal level remains: high, the solenoid 40 remains energized to hold the drive wheel 51 nearer the axis of rotation of disc 56 and so there is maintained a high rate of feed of the cutting head by the lead screw l1. When the signal level falls to a low value for which there is no possibility of mistracking, the output current of rectifier 35 is insuflicient to hold the relay contacts 33, 34, closed, whereupon the coil 45 is deenergized and the sleeve 41 is returned to the low-speed setting. It is thus insured that the playing time of the record is conserved when there is no danger of mistracking.

Due to the time required for the screw I! actually to attain its higher speed after energization of solenoid 40, there is the possibility of mistracking if there is an abrupt change in signal level. To avoid this, provision is made to substantially instantaneously advance the cutting head upon occurrence of high amplitude signals independently of the feed by the lead screw IT. In the preferred arrangement shown for accomplishing that end, the cutting head If) is mounted upon a slide 25 which is free to move, axially of the screw I1, with respect tothe carriage 24 upon which it is mounted. The carriage 24 threadably engages the lead screw I1 and therefore is advanced at a rate fixed by the rotation of screw I! but the slide 25 and cutter I0 may be advanced with respect to the carriage 24 in response to occurrence of high signal level and so substantially instantaneously widen the spacing between the groove being cut and the preceding groove without waitingfor the speed of the screw actually to increase; 4

The movement of the cutter head l0 independently of the screw 11 may be effected by the core 29 of a solenoid 3| which is energized concurrently with the solenoid of the speedchange mechanism. Upon energization of the solenoid 3| which is carried by a bracket 30 of the carriage 24, the core 29 is moved to the left (as viewed in Figure 1) to move the slide 25 axially of the lead screw l"! to a position determined by an adjustable stop suitably mounted upon the carriage 24. Upon termination of the high level signals, the solenoid 3| is deenergized by the opening of relay contacts 33 and 34, whereupon the solenoid core 28 is returned; to its 10w level position by a biasing spring 5|. The cutting head I0 is concurrently moved to the right by the biasing spring 26 to a position determined by engagement of an adjustable stop 21 on the slide 25 with a stop 50 which may, as shown, be fastened to a rod extending from core 29. It is desirable that the return'of the cutter head to the low level position be retarded to avoid cutting of a groove which intercepts the high amplitude groove already out. To that end, the return movement of the "solenoid core 29 may be retarded by any suitable means, such as by a dashpot including the piston'52secured to the core 29 and having a valve member 53 which substantially closes when a spring 54 in engagement with the piston 52 forces the piston to the right.

The solenoid arrangement described above for actuation of the cutter head may be replaced by any equivalent one such, for example, as a pneumaticor hydraulic device having a sole noid-operated valve under the control of the relay 32. There may be also provided a push button 54 in shunt withthe relay contacts 33 and 34 for manual operation by a program engineer who follows the score or equivalent and may, in anticipation of expected high signal level, effect actuation of solenoids 3| and 4! to increase the speed of the lead screw I1 and to advance the cutter It! with respect to its ,feed by the lead screw.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2, the speedchange device IBA between the lead. screw I! anclits constant speed driving motor is of a type which provides for a smoothly continuous change in speed. Specifically, it includes a driven cone 58 coupled or secured to the lead screw l1 and a driving cone 59 coupled to motor An idler 6i for transmission of power between the cones is rotatably mounted upon a carriage 62 prevented from rotation by a guide 63 and threadedly engaging a feed screw 10 driven by a reversible motor 64. By a control arrangement hereinafter described, the motor 64 is from' time to time energized to effect rotation of the screw 10 in one direction or the other to change the position of the idler wheel 6! with respect to the peripheries of the cones 58 and 59 and so effect change in the speed of the lead screw I l and, therefore, the rate at which the cutting head is advanced. The. motor 64 may be controlled by a contact galvanometer 65, or equivalent, responsive to unbalance of two voltages, one produced by a generator 65 connected with the galvanometer 65 and driven at a speed proportional to the rate ofrotation of screw l1, .and the other derived from the resistor-capacitynetwork 31, 38 in circuit with the rectifier 36. The latter voltage, by virtue of the action of the rectifier 36 and its bias producedby the resistor-capacity network 31,

cf the signals fed to the cutter head.

So long as there obtains a desired correspond ence between the amplitude of the signals and the speed of feed of the cutter head, the voltage of v a generator 66 and the voltage across the condenser 38 are substantially inbalance and the relay or galvanometer 65 effects no control of the motor 64. Assuming, however, that there is'an increase in the signal level, the voltage across the condenser 38 increases and the relay contact 6'! is engaged by the movable contact 14 of the relay 65 to energize the motor 64 to run in a direction necessary to shift the idler 6| to a higher speed-setting. When the speed of the feed screw attains the proper value for the changed level, the resulting increasedvoltage of the generator 66 balances the higher condenser voltage and the motor 64 is deenergized by separationof relay contacts 61 and 14. In addition, each time the relay contacts 61 and 14 are engaged to increase the speed of the lead screw H, the solenoid 3| is energized to effect, as described in connection with Fig. 1, a substantially instantaneous advance movement of the cutter head H] with respect to the lead screw. When the contacts 61 and 14 separate, it is desirable, for reasons above discussed, to delay the return of the cutter head to the lower speed position. This may be effected, as in the system of Fig. l, by a dashpot associated with the solenoid core 29 or'with slide 25.

When the amplitude of the signal tothe cutter head decreases and it is desirable to decrease the speed of the lead screw I! for conservation of playing time, the voltage across the condenser 38 derived by the rectifier 36 from the signals correspondingly falls and no longer balances the higher voltage then being produced by the generator 66. In consequence, the movable contact 14 of the relay 65, or equivalent, moves into engagement with a contact 68 to energize the motor 64 for rotation in a direction to reduce the speed setting of the'idler wheel 6|. This rotation continues until the reduced speed of the lead screw IT, as reflected by a'correspondingly reduced voltage of generator 66, falls to such a value that the movable contact 14 of relay 65 returns to its neutral position and so effects deenergization of the motor 64.

As it is desirable to delay the change in speed of the feed screw in going to a lower speed, there may be included in the resistor-condenser network a rectifier 69 of the metal-oxide type, for example, which permits fiow of current in both directions but whose inverse resistance is much higher than its forward resistance. By this provision, it is insured that the condenser 38 is quickly charged to a higher value upon increase of signal voltage applied to rectifier 36 but falls more slowly to a lower voltage when the signal level falls. Otherwise stated, the discharge path of the condenser 38 through the inverse resistance of the rectifier 69 and the resistance 37 is of much higher value than the path through which the condenser is charged.

If desired, the contacts 61 and 14 of the relay 65 may be in parallel to the contacts of a push;

38, is substantiallyproportional to the amplitude button 54, as in the system of Fig. 1, to permit' a program engineer to efiect an anticipatory control of the position andspeed of advance of the cutter head when a rapid and large change in signal amplitude is to be expected. r

In the system shown in Fig. 3, such an'ticipa tory control may be automatically effected; The signal channel from the pickup:device|3,1or equivalent, to the cutter head l6 includes a delay line H, either electrical or acoustic in character; which appreciably lengthens'the time required for the signal to travel from the pickup device to the cutter head. The channel from the-translating device |3 to the rectifier 36a and in'clud ing an amplifier i211, however, does notrincludes'a delay line and, in consequence, the relay or equivalent responsive devicein the outputcircuit of the rectifier may act tochange the setting of the speed changer I80: and tochange the position of the cutter head by th'e solenoid 3|, or equivalent, before the change in amplitude of the signal appears at the cutter head.

In the particular arrangement shown in Figz 3, the rectifier output voltage appearing'across the condenser 33 is opposed to the voltage across a resistor 15 in circuit with the generator which is driven at speed corresponding to that of the lead screw Accordingly, upon' 'in crease or decrease in amplitude of the signal supply to the rectifier, the relay or galvanometer 65 deflects in one sense or the other to greet; through the motor 64 and the idler wheel 6|, a corresponding change in the setting of the speed changing device |8a. Concurrently with ener' gization of the motor 64 to increase the speed of the lead screw, the solenoid 3| is energized to effect substantially instantaneously advance or the cutter head, all as previously described in-diacussionof Figs. land2.

When the record I5 is not being cut-from the original program, but from a'previously' made record on a record disc, wire, film, or the -like,-it is not necessary to use a delay line. The desired anticipatory control action may be attained by using a second pickup device which suitably'leads the one used for energization of the cutter head and by feeding the signal of such leading-pickup to the rectifier 36 for control purposes. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the pickup |3h is connected through an amplifier 2d.tothe rectifier 36 in a signal channel which is inde: pendent of the channel which includes the pickup device l3a, the amplifier l2, and the cutterj head). 1 f

With respect to the sound groove previously cut in the control record 13, the pickup |3b is in advance of the pickup |3a so that, before high amplitude signals are transmitted to the cutter head, those same signals act through the rectifier 36 and the relay 32 to advance the cutter head l6 and to increase the speed of the lead screw. The particular arrangement for performing these functions may be any of those previously described or their equivalent; specifically, in Fig. 4 it is the same as that shown in Fig. 1.

Similarly, when the source of signals is a film, a tape, or a wire, there are employed two pickup heads I30 and l3d. The direction of feed of the wire or film T2 is such that the pickup |3d is the first to respond and since this, the leading pickup. is associated with the rectifier relay system, the cutter head has already been advanced and the change in setting of the speed-changing device l8 has already been effected before thosesame signals, as affecting the second pickup |3c, are transmitted to the cutter head l6.

1-1"urther description appears unnecessary in view of thefull explanationabove of the other elements of the system, all of which have:been identified by similar reference characters in previous. figures.

.The movable contacts of the switches H and a, Fig. 4, may be ganged for movement in unison toselect either theipickups. [3a. and l3b for, rerecording-from a disc record or ithe pickups [3c andzlld when the re-recordingis to be from a fllmor wire;record.

- Itshall be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular arrangements shown but thatichanges and modifications may be made all, however, within the spirit of my invention.

-'=Whet is claimed is: 1. Ina: recording system, a recording head, a leadscrew for feeding said head, and meansresponslve to high amplitude of vibrations to be rccordedby'said headifor increasing the speed of rotation of said screw and for advancing said head with respect to its feed by said screw.

.-2., In.a recording system, a recording head, a carriage on which said head is slidably mounted, aifeed screw for said carriage, and means responsive-to high amplitude of vibrations to be recordedby said head slidably to advance it on said carriage.

. 3. ;In, a recording system, a recording head, a lead screw forsmoothly continuously feeding said head. a. motor, a speed-changing device between said motor and said lead screw, and a relay system including a rectifier responsive to occurrence of highamplitude of vibrationsto be recorded by said head to change the'setting of said device for higher rate of advance of said screw and means responsive to said relay system for immediately advancing said head with respect to its feed by said screw.

4..-Inarecording system, a recording head, a carriageonwhich said head is slidably mounted, a. lead, screw engaging said carriage to eifect smoothly-continuous feed-of the head, a motor, a-speed-changing device between saidvmotor and said lead screw, and means responsive to change in amplitudeof vibrations to, be recorded by said head for changing the setting of said device and forefiectingmovement of said head with respect to said carriage} .5. In a recording system, a recording head, a carriage on which said headis slidably mounted, aIeed'screw engaging saidcarriage to eifect ad- Vance of the head, and mens for controlling movement of said head with respect to said carriage 8 including a relay system having a rectifier-whose direct current output'is a function of the amplitude of vibrations to be recorded by said head.

6. In a recording system, a. recording head, a lead screw. for feeding said-head radially of a record disc, means for changing thespeed of rotation of said screw to accommodate different levels of recording, and means for moving said head radially of the record independently of its feed by said'lead screw in accommodation of rapid rise in level of recording.

7 '7. In a recording system, a recording head having a stylus for cutting grooves in a record, a. lead screw for feeding said head over the record, and means responsive to high amplitude of vibrations to be recorded by said head effective substantially instantaneously to shift the head with respect to its feed by said screw to increase the spacing between the high amplitude groove and the previously cut groove and to increase the speed of said screw to maintain increased spacing between subsequently cut grooves so long as the high amplitude of the vibrations continues.

8. In a recording system, the combination as defined by claim 4, wherein means for efiecting movement of the recording head with respect to the carriage includes a slide connected with the recording head and movable with respect to the carriage, a spring and a stop device for resisting and limiting respectively the movement of said slide with respect to the carriage, and a dash pot controlled solenoid for imparting movement to said slide.

GEORGE K. GRAHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,860,104 Larsen May 24, 1932 1,958,634 Mitchell May 15, 1934 2,112,699 Kleber Mar. 29, 1938 2,239,042 v Kleber Apr. 22, 1941 2,326,564 Rigby Aug. 10, 1943 2,369,085 Stone Feb. 6, 1945 2,391,897 Harrington Jan, 1, 1946 2,410,835 Montague Nov. 12, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 321,153 Great Britain Oct. 21, 1929 

